Christmas Surprises (Freechamp Style)
by elleigator
Summary: Rita and Connie's first Christmas together. A prompt from instagram involving Connie and a giraffe onesie! All cute fluffiness.


**Hey guys! So today's spontaneous one shot is prompted and dedicated to , my fellow freechamp shipper. Let me know if you like it, and go check out my other story too!**

Rita Freeman didn't wake up on Christmas morning in Holby like she thought she would. She thought she'd be woken by her alarm clock, or the cold air drifting in through the gap in the window that she keeps forgetting to close, or maybe if she was very lucky, her true love nibbling on her earlobe because she fully intends to make good on her promise of letting her unwrap her for Christmas. But no, she finds when she wakes that the person she was hoping would be responsible for pulling her from her slumber is still sound asleep.

It's still cold out (just as it is most mornings that she wakes during the cold months) and the clock by her head tells her it's 6:34 am, far too early for her to be waking for no apparent reason, so she tries to settle back down, telling herself she would need as much shut eye as possible for the hectic day ahead. She turns on her side, smiling at the sight of Connie sleeping peacefully beside her, facing her. She's learnt over time that Connie doesn't like to be cuddled while she sleeps. Needs her space to stretch and cool down if she needs to, so she lets her be, lets her come to her and she always does in the end. Migrates over to Rita's side of the bed until she's pressed right against her back or snuggled into her side.

Or laying right on top of her if she's lucky.

Connie moves beside her, shuffles closer to the middle of the bed, snuggles down deeper in the covers and Rita can't help but smile again. She looks utterly adorable when she's like this. Void of the mask she wears for the world, face peeping out behind the curtains that are her beautiful dark locks, and she can't help but move closer towards her. The movement makes her stir, an unintentional consequence, but as she blinks away sleep and lazily smiles up at her, Rita finds she isn't sorry.

"Good morning, my love." Rita whispers, and Connie nods, closing her eyes again and reaching for Rita's body beneath the blankets, urging Rita closer until she's pressed to Connie's side with her head pillowed in her chest.

"You're awake too early." Connie grumbles, rubbing her face against Rita's sandy blonde hair, and Rita wraps her arm around Connie's shoulder to give her a squeeze.

"Well, Merry Christmas to you too." Rita chuckles.

Connie groans in response, mumbles something that sounds faintly like 'I'm declaring Christmas cancelled until my coffee'.

"Oh, that's a shame," Rita says, theatrics in her voice. "Here was me thinking that we could make the most of us both being awake so early..."

"Mm, later. Coffee first." Connie sighs, then rolls over and swings her legs out of bed. She is wearing a camisole that Rita picked out, and she looks stunning. The sheer silk clings to every curve, every contour in her shapely body, and her arm muscles ripple as she stretches them out in a yawn. Rita yawns sulkily, cross that she was up at this ungodly hour for nothing. Well, not quite nothing; she had quite the surprise in store.

"You coming?" Connie turns back to face Rita, who nods eagerly and practically leaps out of bed, almost forgetting to grab her robe on the way out of the door. Their bare feet patter along the (probably solid oak) floor of Connie's large house, which is completely decorated for Christmas. Fairy lights catch Rita's fingers as she trails down the stairs after Connie, strewn along the banister with the faux holly and berries. Mistletoe hangs from the kitchen door, almost certainly hung by Connie late last night, preparing for the following day. As they round into the living room with excitement pm they can finally behold their tree in all its glory. They had decorated it together on the first weekend of December and presents had been piling up underneath it ever since. The gold ribbons matched the sparkling tint to Connie's hazel eyes, catching the crisp winter sun that streams in from the French windows.

"Come on then. What first?" Connie gently lowers herself to the floor and sits cross legged next to the tree, looking adorably childlike. Rita couldn't decide if it was the freckles, or the posture, but she looked so beautiful and youthful when she grinned up at Rita, who had plopped herself beside her.

"Can I go first? I've been in suspense for three weeks, please?!" Rita blinks rapidly and pouts up at Connie, who laughs and agrees. Rita loves the way she tosses her hair when she laughs, and the way her eyes crinkle up and when she's happy. Connie hands Rita a long rectangular present wrapped in red and white reindeer paper, and Rita takes it impatiently. She shakes it first, holding it to her ear and grins. Rita tears off the paper as Connie watches on, completely bemused by Rita's impudent mood. Rita's face completely lights up when she realises that it is a complete set of a Call The Midwife DVDs, a show in which Connie is annually subjected to sit through by an overly obsessed Rita.

"Thank you! I've been wanting these for ages!" Rita exclaims, beaming happily at Connie's perplexed expression. She was fascinated by this tiny blonde woman reduced to a six-year-old's mentality by a 2000 year old cult's annual celebration. Rita's hair bounced over her perky ears as she smiled gleefully up at Connie.

"Your turn," Announces Rita, handing Connie a large, squishy package wrapped in pink shiny paper. "I know you'll love it." The way in which Rita mirthfully giggled, though, gave the impression that whatever the parcel contained would not be one of Connie's suggestions.

Connie tore a small hole in one corner and saw some sort of yellow wool or fur, and looked up at Rita, eyebrows furrowed.

"Open it, open it!" The small blonde was now shaking uncontrollably on the carpet, laughing hysterically at the completely confused woman. Connie continued to tear cautiously at the present, at last revealing a yellow and brown printed onesie, complete with little giraffe ears on the hood.

"Oh, you didn't! Oh Rita, you bad, bad girl!" Connie chuckled to herself and playfully slapped her girlfriend's knee, grinning at the pyjamas.

"Will you wear them? Come on, it's Christmas!" Rita held the onesie up by the shoulders, modelling it to an amused Connie.

"No, I can't! Oh Rita, it's ridiculous!" Connie laughed, entertained by the funky, bright giraffe print of the pyjamas. Rita looked up pleadingly, batting her eyelashes again, knowing that it was a sure-fire way to make Connie do whatever.

"Pleeeaaaassseee? What if I promise you something extra special tonight?" Suggested Rita cheekily, winking seductively up at Connie. Rita saw the way her breath caught in her throat and she hesitated before rolling her eyes.

"Turn around then." Grumbled Connie, taking the onesie back off Rita and starting to unlace the top of her camisole.

"Nothing I haven't seen before." Replied Rita but turned around obligingly and heard Connie grunt in frustration as she pulled the pyjamas up.

"Happy now?" Connie announced, standing slouching, hands in pockets. Rita turned back around and grinned happily.

"Very. And you have to wear that for the rest of the day, no cheating." Rita smiled up at Connie, her eyes twinkling with laughter. Connie groaned but laughed at the triumphant expression on Rita's face.

"Connie?" Rita asked, stepping closer to the taller woman and resting her hands on Connie's slim waist.

"Mm?" Answered Connie, placing her hands on the small of Rita's back and pulling her closer. The two women were pressed close, energy coursing through their bodies, electricity sparking between their burning flesh, yearning for skin-to-skin contact. Rita stood on her tiptoes and pulled Connie into a deep, passionate kiss, tongues fighting for dominance and eventually Rita won. Prising their lips apart for a second, both panting, Rita stared up into Connie's captivating eyes, full of beauty, and wisdom, and pain.

"Merry Christmas."

 **As always guys, review and favourite, check out my other stories, and Merry Christmas! Ly all x**


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